Fourth, seventh place in final Le Mans for C6.R with new car looming for ‘14

LE MANS, France (June 23, 2013) – Corvette Racing and its two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs completed the most demanding auto race in the world today by finishing in the top seven of the GTE Pro class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Jordan Taylor brought home the No. 73 Compuware Corvette in fourth place after starting seventh. It was a remarkable comeback that saw the trio pick up three spots in the final six hours. The No. 74 Compuware Corvette finished seventh with Oliver Gavin, Jan Magnussen and Richard Westbrook driving.

All six drivers and the two crews weathered constantly changing conditions and 10 safety car periods – most of which required long runs behind the safety cars. No one in either garage could remember such a volatile event.

“Chevrolet was truly honored to compete in the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “While it certainly was a challenging 24-hour event, I am proud that the entire Corvette Racing team exhibited a ‘never give up’ approach all race long. We look forward to returning next year for the 15th time at Le Mans and our first with the next-generation Corvette race car.”

Typical Le Mans attrition began to enter the equation in the last quarter of the race. After running seventh and eighth for much of the first 18 hours, the Corvettes crept up the standings as other entries began to fall off. By the 23-hour mark, both cars ranked among the top five in the class thanks to an aggressive wet tire strategy when rain began to pelt the circuit again.

Taylor outpaced ex-F1 pilot Giancarlo Fisichella to hold on to the fourth position over the final 20 minutes. Unfortunately, Oliver Gavin had to pit the No. 74 Corvette due to an exhaust issue. Rather than risk near-certain damage, the team elected to pit and send Gavin back out for the final lap.

Corvette Racing returns to American competition July 5-6 for the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, the fourth round of the American Le Mans Series.

American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix (all times ET)

• • Qualifying: 4:35 p.m., Friday, July 5
• • Race: 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6

Lime Rock: Watch It!

Friday, July 5-Saturday, July 6 (all times ET)

• • Qualifying: 4:25 p.m., Friday, July 5 (ESPN3)
• • Race (TV): 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN2)
• • Web: 2:45 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN3)

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It has been a tough race. Obviously, Allan (Simonsen’s) fatal accident overshadows any race result. Even without the accident it has been a struggle for us all the way through. I think that if something comes of it, it will be from sheer determination and hard work by the whole team, carrying on as always even though it looked like we wouldn’t get anything out of this event. It says a lot about this team, the way they go about things, how hard they work and how they never give up.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We did the best we could do. We performed maybe not 100 percent but certainly 99 percent, which is something we can be proud of. Before the race we knew we probably didn’t have the base we needed to fight for victory. We were seventh or eighth for most of the time, but just by keeping running and everybody giving it his 100 percent best – drivers as well as mechanics – we made it. And as it sometimes happens, near the end the race came to us and we finished fourth, which is more than we could have hoped for.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It was a stressful last hour of the race. I went in when it was pouring but luckily the safety car came out because the spray was just horrible going down the Mulsanne and into Indianapolis (Corner). You could barely see the car in front of you, even behind the pace car. We sat like that for a while and then it went green with some 30 minutes to go, when it was fully dry again, but on wet tires. I think everybody was kind of managing that a bit and we were just able to maintain our gap (to the Ferrari behind). I don’t quite know what happened to the rest of the guys but somehow we came out fourth having started seventh. I think that was the best we could have done today.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“You can take some positives from this. The car in the end was very good when the track rubbered in. We hit the chassis right. The team did a fantastic job once again and rolled with the punches through the weather. It was one of the toughest 24 Hours that I’ve ever done in respect to the weather changes and choices in tires because the track was in between so many times. You had to wing it and take a big gamble sometimes. Unfortunately I think that’s one of the things that really contributed to Allan Simonsen’s accident – slippery and tricky conditions and wet curbs he got on to. It was an awful thing to see. The focus and aim now is defending the ALMS championship. By the end of the race when we were in fourth, fifth and sixth, we realized we didn’t want to risk the car possibly catching fire with the exhaust problem or me getting myself burned. It wasn’t really worth it so we cooled down and came in. There was frustration not being able to fight and race to the very end. But we will fight another day.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“The team did a great job – period. We ran for 24 hours with no real mistakes. That’s what this race requires. The drivers did our job, the crew did their job – it just wasn’t our year, for sure. It’s a year like this where you learn a lot, you push hard no matter the conditions or situations and build character. I’ve never been part of a Le Mans that had conditions as difficult as this. They changed on every lap and on every corner. I’m really proud of all the guys at Corvette Racing – both crews and everyone involved. To perform in conditions like these shows how strong this team is.”

RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It was a hell of a team performance, as ever. It was great to get back to finishing ways in a 24-hour race. We know what we have to do next year, and we’re going to come back and do it. Sometimes you have a fast car, and we’ve had that the last couple years and didn’t execute. This year we executed with a car that was less fast. Next year we will have a fast car and we’re going to execute.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

“This marked our 14th consecutive appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This year’s race provided the deepest field of competition and some of the most challenging conditions we’ve ever seen. Everything, considered, I could not be more proud of our guys for bringing home fourth- and seventh-place finishes – once again, demonstrating the durability and reliability that has made Corvette so successful. We can now move forward and look excitedly to defending our championship in the ALMS and then to our return to Le Mans next year with the all-new C7.R.”

 www.theroboticschallenge.org

A team from Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) is building a new class of robot to compete in the upcoming Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Robotics Challenge, called the DRC. It’s a human-size robot that moves, not by walking, but on rubberized tracks on the extremities of each of its four limbs. Forty-nine frameless motors from Kollmorgen are one of the keys to this unique robot’s all-important drive joints.

Though the appearance of the CMU Highly Intelligent Mobile Platform, or CHIMP, is vaguely simian, its normal mode of locomotion will be much like that of a tank, with the tracks of all four limbs on the ground. This configuration offers a particular advantage when moving over debris and rough terrain. But CHIMP can also move on the treads of just two limbs when needed, such as when it must use one or more limbs to open a valve or to operate power tools.

CHIMP will have to do that and more during the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC), in which robots will have human-like capabilities to respond to calamities such as the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Climbing ladders and driving vehicles are among the obstacles robots will face in environments engineered for people. The DRC kicked off on October 24, 2012, and is scheduled to run for approximately 27 months with three planned competitions: June 2013, December 2013, and December 2014.

The NREC entry, Tartan Rescue Team, is one of seven selected by DARPA for DRC Track A, in which each team will develop its own hardware and software.

CHIMP will be able to perform complex, physically challenging tasks through supervised autonomy. A remote, human operator will make high-level commands controlling the robot’s path and actions, while the robot’s on-board intelligence prevents collisions, maintains stability and otherwise keeps the robot from harm. The robot also will be pre-programmed to execute tasks such as grasping a tool, stepping on a ladder rung or turning a steering wheel without step-by-step direction from the human controller, circumventing the lag between command and execution.

“Humans provide high-level control, while the robot provides low-level reflexes and self-protective behaviors,” says Tony Stentz, NREC director and Tartan Rescue Team leader. “This enables CHIMP to be highly capable without the complexity associated with a fully autonomous robot.”

“This type of robot has tremendous potential,” Stentz adds. Such a robot would be suitable for a variety of tasks for which NREC now develops wheeled, tracked, and other conventional robots, such as remote inspection and monitoring of hazardous industrial facilities. As a unit of Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute, NREC performs advanced applied research and prototyping for commercial and governmental clients.

The human-centered nature of the DRC challenges would seem to favor a dynamically stable humanoid robot, the choice of five of the seven Track A teams, Stentz acknowledges. But his team’s focus on simplicity and dependability led them to choose tracked locomotion.

“When we walk or stand, our brains are actively controlling our balance all of the time,” Stentz says. This dynamic balance makes people nimble and enables them to run. But it also greatly increases the complexity, computational requirements, and energy consumption of a machine. So CHIMP is designed with static stability; it won’t fall down even if it experiences a computer glitch or power failure.

When necessary, however, the operator can control CHIMP’s individual joints, enabling it to adapt its motion to particular circumstances or extricate itself from tight spots. And for this robot, it’s all about the joints.

“In a pinch, it can do anything,” Stentz says.

CHIMP uses Kollmorgen frameless motor technology in each of its drive joints to deliver advanced functionality and significant performance benefits for the Robotics Challenge. This advanced functionality also paves the way for new mobile manipulation and manufacturing automation applications.

“The CHIMP design explicitly avoids many of the dynamic stability issues associated with humanoid robots. Tracks on all four limbs provide CHIMP with better mobility and with stability while opening doors, using tools, and turning valves. Sensors at the head and limbs provide the perception and feedback needed for CHIMP to manipulate objects, remove debris, and travel safely through the environment,” says National Robotics Engineering Center Business Development Director Steve DiAntonio. “The hardware components and software methods that form CHIMP are standalone technologies that, in their own right, offer new automation capabilities for facility maintenance, manufacturing, and material handling.”

For example, CHIMP’s drive joints, constructed of Kollmorgen motors integrated with gearing and housing components, actuate the robot’s 50 degrees of freedom and deliver advanced mobility, multi-limb manipulation, and human-like grasping capabilities not found in today’s industrial robots. These capabilities are made possible by four custom frameless motor sizes from Kollmorgen — a total of 42 motors between the four sizes — along with seven modified standard KBM series frameless motors.

Benefits of KBM series frameless motors include:

Direct load connection eliminates maintenance of gearboxes, belts, or pulleys; Zero backlash and compliance provides more responsive system performance; Eliminates coupling devices, reducing overall machine size; and

Embedded motor enables compact machine design.

Kollmorgen framelss motors.

“Kollmorgen engineers worked to design a compact and high-power-density motor, and worked hand and hand with CMU’s engineers to develop the high-power joint that really makes the human-like capabilities possible,” says Dave Graff, Kollmorgen regional sales manager for custom motor solutions.

Other CHIMP features include:

Like a chimpanzee, each extremity is equipped with a manipulator that enables it to grasp objects; Near-human strength and dexterity; On-board sensors build a texture-mapped, 3D model of the environment that CHIMP uses to maintain stability and prevent collisions; The same 3D model enables the operator to visualize the location and orientation of CHIMP and evaluate possible actions; The operator controls CHIMP using an immersive interface of a large screen monitor, keyboard, and mouse, choosing from multiple modes that blend manual and autonomous control of the robot.

The new drive joint design will help the CHIMP execute the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) challenge tasks.

In addition to the Tartan Rescue Team, Carnegie Mellon has a second team in the DARPA Robotics Challenge. Team Steel, headed by Christopher Atkeson, professor of robotics and human-computer interaction, was selected as a Track B team. In Track B, teams develop software in a virtual competition, with a winner receiving a DARPA-provided humanoid Atlas robot for use in the live competition. The final DRC event will be next year, with the winner receiving $2 million.

Other CHIMP technology sponsors include: Faulhaber (represented by MICROMO in the U.S.), Honeywell, Robotiq, Oshkosh, Elmo Motion Control, THK, Pratt Miller, Accurate Gear and Machine (AGM), and Eclipse Metal Fabrication.

For more information on the DARPA Robotics Challenge, please see:

Ahead of Round 4 of the American Le Mans Series

What: American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix, Round 4 of the 2013 American Le Mans Series. The race airs live at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner

• • Starting third in GT. Oliver Gavin qualified at 51.490 seconds (103.057 mph) Friday
• • History at Lime Rock Park
• ◦ Oliver Gavin – Eight ALMS starts. Best finish: 1st (2004-05). One pole position (2008)
• ◦ Tommy Milner – Seven ALMS starts. Best finish: 2nd (2007, 2010)

No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen

• • Starting fifth in GT. Antonio Garcia qualified at 51.537 seconds (102.963 mph) Friday
• • History at Lime Rock Park
• ◦ Antonio Garcia – One ALMS start. Best finish: 2nd (2012)
• ◦ Jan Magnussen – Four ALMS starts. Best finish: 1st (2008)

Corvette Racing at Lime Rock

• • Number of races: Nine
• • Victories: Four (2004-05, 2007-08)
• • Lime Rock Debut: 2004
• • Team 1-2 finishes: Four (2004-05, 2007-08)
• • First race: 2004 (1st and 2nd in GTS)
• • First win: 2004 (Oliver Gavin/Olivier Beretta)

They Said It

“The rubber is going down, which is good. But the heat isn’t helping. It got pretty toasty out there toward the end of the free practice and at the beginning of qualifying. That’s not going to help tire life and certainly heat in the car. All of those things are going to play a part in the race.” – Oliver Gavin

“It’s one of the toughest races we will face. The level of stress is very high. You have no rest time and are on full attack during an entire stint. It’s difficult to keep your concentration level 100 percent the entire time with all the variables in place.” – Antonio Garcia

American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix (all times ET)

• • Race: 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6

Lime Rock: Watch It!

Saturday, July 6 (all times ET)

• • Race (TV): 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN2)
• • Web: 2:45 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN3)

ALMS GT Championship Standings

Driver Standings

1. 1. Dirk Muller – 42
2. 2. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 39
3. 3. Dominik Farnbacher/ Marc Goossens – 37
4. 4. Bill Auberlen/Maxime Martin – 34
5. 5. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 30   

Team Standings

1. 1. Corvette Racing – 56
2. 2. BMW Team RLL – 52
3. 3. SRT Motorsports – 37
4. 4. Risi Competizione – 28
5. 5. Paul Miller Racing – 26

Manufacturer Standings

1. 1. Chevrolet – 59
2. 2. BMW – 52
3. 3. Ferrari – 43
4. 4. SRT – 40
5. 5. Porsche – 37

Corvette Racing at Lime Rock

Year: 2004

Class: GTS

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C5-R

Notes: Beretta pole, fastest race lap

Year: 2005

Class: GT1

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Beretta pole, fastest race lap

Year: 2006

Class: GT1

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 4th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Beretta fastest race lap

Year: 2007

Class: GT1

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: O’Connell fastest race lap

Year: 2008

Class: GT1

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 1st, 2nd

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Gavin pole, Beretta fastest race lap

Year: 2010

Class: GT

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 12th, 5th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Year: 2011

Class: GT

Drivers: Beretta/Milner, Gavin/Magnussen

Result: 9th, 10th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Year: 2012

Class: GT

Drivers: Garcia/Magnussen, Gavin/Milner

Result: 2nd, 3rd

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Ahead of the world’s most demanding road race

No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, Richard Westbrook

• • Starting seventh in GTE Pro. Oliver Gavin qualified with a 3:58.644 (127.754 mph) on Thursday
• • History at Le Mans:
• • Oliver Gavin – Twelve starts. Best finish: 1st (2002, 2004-06)
• • Tommy Milner – Four starts. Best finish: 1st (2011)
• • Richard Westbrook – Three starts. Best finish: 3rd (2010)

No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen, Jordan Taylor

• • Starting eighth in GTE Pro. Antonio Garcia qualified with a 3:59.526 (127.257 mph) Wednesday
• • History at Le Mans:
• • Antonio Garcia – Four starts. Best finish: 1st (2008-09, 2011)
• • Jan Magnussen – Fourteen starts. Best finish: 1st (2004-06, 2009)
• • Jordan Taylor – One start. Best finish: 5th (2012)

Corvette Racing at Le Mans

• • Le Mans Debut: 2000
• • Victories: Seven (2001-02, 2004-06, 2009, 2011)
• • Team 1-2 finishes: Four (2001-02, 2004-05)
• • First race: 2000 (3rd and 4th in GTS)
• • First win: 2001 (Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Scott Pruett)

100th Race with Michelin

The 2013 season is the tenth consecutive season for Corvette Racing as a Michelin technical partner team, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans will become the 100th race for the Corvette-Michelin partnership.

It’s been a fantastic first 99 between the two with 62 victories worldwide – five at Le Mans and 57 in the American Le Mans Series. Their ALMS success includes six wins at the Sebring 12 Hours; five at Petit Le Mans; and six driver, team and manufacturer championships.

Corvette Racing has won GT class honors in six of the last 13 ALMS races including Sebring (Gavin/Milner/Westbrook) and Laguna Seca (Magnussen/Garcia).

Jan Magnussen: National Hero?

The Danish contingent is out in force again at Le Mans, and a large gathering welcomed Jan Magnussen to its campsite. It’s not uncommon for more than 30,000 Danish fans to flock to Le Mans each year.

“To be at Le Mans as a Danish driver is one of the most fantastic things that a Dane can experience,” Magnussen says. “You have to understand that there are more Danish fans at Le Mans than at the biggest Danish race. We don’t have very big race tracks in Denmark. There are years where we have had upwards of 40,000 Danish people at Le Mans. It’s quite a drive! They go there, make a vacation and party out of it. There is no doubt their favorites are on track.”

Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• • Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday
• • Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday

Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• • SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday
• • SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday
• • Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/alanaglass/2013/06/17/cadillac-racing-where-luxury-meets-motorsports/

Picture this.

You are offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride in a race car driven by motorsports veteran, Andy Pilgrim.

You suit up, put your helmet on, and climb into the car Dukes of Hazard style. The car is roaring and ready to go. But in a matter of minutes a rain storm sets in. Ugh. Now it is too dangerous to ride on a wet track with tires designed for dry conditions. So your trip around the course is reduced to a quick ride from pit lane to the paddock.

Now 15 minutes have passed, and the rain has stopped. But your ride in the race car still is not a go. Alternatively, a ride in the street version of the car is offered to you.

Do you take it? Yes. Are you a little disappointed? Sure. Does it end up being the thrill of a lifetime? Absolutely!

That was my experience at the Pirelli World Challenge Series in Detroit, Michigan when I rode in Cadillac’s 2013 CTS-V Coupe. 120 mph on a wet street race track is not what I expected at all! Who knew Cadillac, a brand known for luxury and comfort, has so much power?

Unless you are a racing aficionado, the Pirelli World Challenge probably is not a motor sports series that is familiar to you. It does not feature racings household names like Patrick, Gordon, or Castroneves. But what the 24 year old series lacks in star power, it makes up in performance.

The Pirelli World Challenge includes top of the line production based cars with four separate classes competition (GT, GTS, Touring Car, and Touring Car B-Spec). These race cars feature the same block and body of the vehicles that you would find on the showroom floor. In other words, there is a direct line from the manufacturer and aftermarket supplier, to the consumer.

Cadillac Racing competed in the series from 2004-2007, and due to the economic downturn it took a brief hiatus. But the racing team returned in 2011 stronger than ever. Since then its drivers Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim finished one-two in the 2012 GT Driver’s Championship. And Team Cadillac took home the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge Series GT Manufacturer’s Championship on the one-year anniversary of its first victory since rejoining the series.

2013 is shaping up to be another promising year for Team Cadillac. Sales are up 38%, (Cadillac’s best start since 1976) and its racing team is on pace to vie for another championship.

Forbes.com caught up with Cadillac’s Director of Emerging Markets, Jim Vurpillat, at the Cadillac V-Series Challenge in Detroit to talk about the V-Series, motor sports racing, and Cadillac’s quest to be the leading luxury and performance brand. Here are excerpts of our conversation.

On the V-Series and Cadillac Racing

Vurpillat: Our involvement in racing is about proving the performance credentials of the brand. When we started to develop our V-Series brand with our first generation CTS it was about getting our toe in the water, in that high performance category of BMW M and Mercedes-AMG, and proving that Cadillac performance can take on the worlds best.

With the second generation of cars, we just upped the game. The V-Series has been phenomenal for us. We’ve built up a following, and we’ve built up a great owner base. When we first got into it, there were a lot of people surprised. Now, they know we are there, and we have built up a lot of credibility.

On the similarities between Cadillac’s production cars and race cars

Vurpillat: One of the reasons why we got into this form of racing is because it is production based. That body comes right off of our assembly plant in Lansing, Michigan. It starts its life the same way a production car starts its life.

The base engine is the same it is a 6.2L V-8. The one difference is you can buy the production car supercharged. It produces 556 hp. The suspension geometry all has to be the same. Basically, 80% of the race car is production based.

On the economic downturn and its impact on Cadillac Racing

Vurpillat: We knew we were going to take a little hiatus in racing because that was the gap in between the first generation CTS family and the second generation. When we decided to come back, we probably could have come in a year earlier and raced the V-Sedan. But we thought it would be a good idea to race the Coupe. That pushed us into 2011.

The hiatus was the downturn and financial driven. As soon as things started to get better, Mark Reuss said to us “let’s go racing.” We put the race program together in about eight months, which is quick to build a race car, test it, and be out on the track.

On Cadillac’s marketing strategy

Vurpillat: Our series is usually linked with a bigger series, which is usually IndyCar. So we wanted to use that opportunity to engage fans and performance enthusiasts; and educate them about the Cadillac brand. The V- Series is credible and takes a backseat to no one. There is a lot to do at our displays. We talk about the Cadillac V-Series, Cadillac performance, our race program, and get them excited about it. Fans can come in and take ride in one of our simulators.

We have our V production cars there and that gives us the ability to attract fan interest. We take those leads and over a six-eight month period we track conversions to sales. That is how we determine our ROI with our investment on-site. On this program, we are well over a 5:1 ratio on our investment to payback which is phenomenal and off the charts. For us to be out on eight, nine, ten weekends with that commitment and those displays, it is a few million dollars.

On the future of Cadillac Racing

Vurpillat: I see our racing program growing. There is potential for us on a global basis and the possibility to race in some select races in China, Middle East and Europe. We can start to take what we’ve built here in the US as a series, and take that to some of our other markets.

For us being in a production-based series, there is a lot of excitement. The adage of race on Sunday, and sell on Monday is still there. It might not be the Monday after or a month after. It might be a year later. But it gets people excited and talking about it. What is more is engaging than “here is my car, and then here is the car on the track?”

BMW M, Mercedes-AMG, and Audi RS are great machines, and to have us in that consideration set says how far we’ve come as a brand and where we are going to continue to take it. For us it is a very simple strategy, it is about building the performance credentials of the brand. Racing falls under that. Our V-Series falls under that. We want people to think of Cadillac as performance and luxury. This is the beginning of a long journey.

Wonder what it is like behind the wheel of a Cadillac’s CTS-V Coupe? Here’s a lap of Detroit’s Belle Isle 2.3-mile, 13-turn concrete lined island circuit with Johnny O’Connell.

Compuware entries take eighth, ninth spots on GTE Pro grid

LE MANS, France (June 20, 2013) – Qualifying is complete for the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Corvette Racing firmly entrenched in what is its toughest fight at the world’s greatest endurance race.

The two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs will roll off eighth and ninth in the GTE Pro class at 3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET on Saturday following Thursday’s final qualifying sessions. Damp weather early in the first two-hour period hampered the team’s efforts to work toward improvements from Wednesday. The field did enjoy mostly dry running in the final period.

Oliver Gavin took advantage and improved the position and qualifying time for the No. 74 Compuware Corvette to 3:58.644. Antonio Garcia’s 3:59.526 from Wednesday’s session remained the best for the No. 73 Corvette. The pole time was a 3:54.635.

“The Corvette team is focusing on a race setup that will deliver the right combination of performance, handling, fuel economy and durability for this 24-hour race,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Add to that efficient pit stops, staying out of trouble and a little bit of racing luck, we can position ourselves to be up front in the GTE Pro class in the final laps of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

The focus now turns to final preparations for Saturday’s race start when Corvette Racing will go for its eighth class victory in 14 tries. The race will air live on SPEED starting at 8:30 a.m. ET Saturday. SPEED.com will feature live in-car camera videos of both Corvettes as well as a garage camera at stream.speedtv.com/corvette.

Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday

• Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday

Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday

• SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday

• Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“The conditions were quite tricky in the first session since half the track was wet and the other half was dry. I ran on wets just to get my five laps in. I do believe we’ve made some headway in terms of car handling but we’re still down on speed.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“I had a good little run, getting my five nighttime laps in to qualify for the race and I’m glad I did that without any mistakes. It was a bit tricky since the whole of the backstretch was wet and we were on slicks. That was my first time really experiencing that part of Le Mans, with the tricky conditions, so I’m glad to have gotten that out of the way and get a feel for the car before the race.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We gained a second, and it will be interesting to see where we picked that up. We’ve been working hard the last day to put together why we are where we are and why we aren’t as competitive as we want to be. Yes, we made some gains. Fundamentally, we still have to find that main reason for the deficit to our competition.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“You want to be competitive to run at the front, and we’re not quite there. We’ve improved the car handling-wise. Obviously faster is better than slower, so we’re going in the right direction. We are still working on it to find everything we can to find more speed.”

RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We wanted to see how long the wet tire can last in changeable conditions. It started off really wet and dried off quite a bit. So we got some really good data. Michelin is a great partner and it looks like we were able to give them some great feedback. It also was good for me because I’ve been at Corvette Racing for three years and had never driven in the wet! But the main issue is still there, which is straight-line speed.”

DETROIT, (June 20, 2013) – Team Cadillac driver’s Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim are at the halfway point of the Pirelli World Challenge Series. The duo currently sits second and fourth respectively in the GT driver points, with Cadillac and Audi tied for first in the manufacturer standings seven races into the 14 race schedule.

O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) is 146 points behind series leader James Sofronas. Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) is 59 points behind his teammate. O’Connell has had an up and down year, winning two races, the first at Circuit of the America’s (COTA), the second at Detroit. However, a 17th place finish in the second race at COTA and a 20 point penalty for avoidable contact in Detroit has put the defending 2012 Pirelli World Challenge GT Driver Champion back in the points.

Throughout the first seven races, Pilgrim has posted six top-five finishes with two second-place finishes at Long Beach and Detroit. An eighth place in the second race in the Motor City has put the series runner-up in 2012 hungry for points.

The increased competition, especially the presence of several very competitive Audi R8s, has raised the bar significantly in the Pirelli World Challenge GT Series for 2013.

“I think the competition is about what my engineers expected, once they saw what the rules would be,” O’Connell said. “Everyone was 100% certain that the Audi would have advantages, and the same to be said for the Volvo. But you need to give credit to the series for really evaluating data more than they ever have in the past to get the cars on equal footing. Last year we were leading the championship at this point, so I could be little more defensive than aggressive with my approach to a race weekend. Now that we are trailing in points, we need to attack at every event.”

“Penalties are never an easy thing for any sanctioning body to handout. I trust that the same standards will be applied to everyone for the rest of the season. I think we have the team to make up the points, but we’ll need to be spot on perfect for the second half of the season. I feel like I’m driving as well as I ever have in my career. My engineer John Lankes and I are getting better and better at understanding what we need in the car, and the entire team, led by Steve Cole and Mike West, are as focused as ever.”

O’Connell gives his projection on the rest of the season.

“We have done well on the street courses so far this year, and the remaining ones are both circuits I like,” he explained. “I’m really looking forward to Lime Rock. I saw my first race there when I was six years old and since I’ve won there in the Corvette. It would be nice adding a Cadillac victory there.. Sears Point is a circuit that I won at every time we raced there in the Corvette, but I’ve not had the results yet for Cadillac. I’ve always enjoyed Mid-Ohio.”

O’Connell is using the month off to compete for Dale Jr. Motorsports in the No. 5 Chevrolet at Road America in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend.

“It’s busy for me always,” he said. “I’ve been out to Bondurant to work on some things there, and I’ve also tested with Dale Jr. Motorsports to get ready to race for them at Road American in Nationwide, I’m looking forward to being a rookie again this weekend.”

Pilgrim knew the competition in the Pirelli World Challenge Series would be stronger than ever.

“The GT field is strong, exactly where we thought it would be,” Pilgrim said. “The Volvo’s will be very good if they are reliable. We knew the Audi to be a fast GT3 car and it’s been the strongest car out there and still is, even with the extra weight added. It has more aero in the slower and mid speed corners and that allows for very quick transitions. It’s going to be tough to deal with the rest of the season. I think the second half of the schedule will be a very tough fight with Volvo and Audi for manufacturer’s honors. No question we are in a dog fight. Johnny and I will be pushing our Cadillac’s to the maximum. There’s no other option. For my situation in the points, I am disappointed with what happened in the second race at Detroit as it was completely avoidable, but that’s racing sometimes.”

Pilgrim is looking forward to Sears Point.

“Only one of the coming tracks is a favorite of mine and that’s Sears Point,” he continued. “It’s a real drivers track due to the fact you’re never going straight there, which makes it unique. Also, I have never been to Houston so that will be interesting to see another new track this year. I really don’t mind whether a track is natural terrain or not, I just prefer tracks that are fast and we are not at any fast tracks for the rest of the year, but being at any race track is a good day. During my time out of the Cadillac, I’ve been finishing my next DVD, The Parent Driving Zone.”

The Pirelli World Challenge Series will return to action at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut July 4-6.

 http://www.faro.com/en-us/

Lake Mary, FL (June 20, 2013) – FARO Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: FARO), the world’s most trusted source for 3D measurement technology, is proud to sponsor Chevrolet’s Corvette Racing Team, campaigned by Pratt Miller Engineering, as they prepare for the 90th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The most famous endurance race in the world will begin Saturday, June 22nd and conclude on Sunday, June 23rd in Le Mans, France. With 50 competitors from around the world, including Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Aston Martin and Lotus, the 24 Hours of Le Mans requires a balance of speed, stamina and managing resources such as tires, fuel and brakes. Winning this event is a testimony of cutting edge technology and dedication to developing world class sports cars.

Having won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times, Pratt Miller’s Corvette C6.R No. 73 & 74 Teams carry the pride of American manufacturing. As one of the most technically advanced sports car ever developed by General Motors, the C6.R race car has dominated Grand Tour Racing in the U.S. and abroad. Pratt Miller’s technology, products and personnel have propelled Corvette Racing to the pinnacle of production-based sports car competition. This year is no different as the Chevy Corvette looks to prevail once again to claim another championship in the 90th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Corvette Racing Team may don the colors of yellow and black on the race track, but underneath their carbon fiber shell is the work of good old-fashioned red, white and blue American pride that every Corvette fan can be proud of. As a U.S based manufacturer FARO proudly supports the Pratt Miller Corvette Racing Team and their commitment to excellence.

Visit prattmiller.com/lemans to follow the Chevy Corvette Racing Team

About Pratt Miller

Pratt Miller Engineering specializes in advanced vehicle design, modeling and simulation, and low volume manufacturing for the motorsports, defense, automotive, and commercial industries. As a dominant force in professional motorsports, Pratt Miller has been at the forefront of Grand Tour Racing and the American Le Mans Series. As the powerhouse behind Corvette Racing, Pratt Miller has made the American icon a formidable competitor throughout international racing.

About FARO

FARO is the world’s most trusted source for 3D measurement technology. The Company develops and markets computer-aided measurement and imaging devices and software. Technology from FARO permits high-precision 3D measurement, imaging and comparison of parts and compound structures within production and quality assurance processes. The devices are used for inspecting components and assemblies, production planning, documenting large volume spaces or structures in 3D, surveying and construction, as well as for investigation and reconstruction of accident sites or crime scenes.

Worldwide, approximately 15,000 customers are operating more than 30,000 installations of FARO’s systems. The Company’s global headquarters is located in Lake Mary, Fla., its European head office in Stuttgart, Germany and its Asia/Pacific head office in Singapore. FARO has branches in Brazil, Mexico, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan.

Ahead of difficult test in world’s most famous endurance race

LE MANS, France (June 19, 2013) – Members of Corvette Racing met with media at the Circuit des 24 Heures on Wednesday ahead of the first practice and qualifying session for the 90th anniversary running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race begins at 3 p.m. CET/9 p.m. ET on Saturday.

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

With such a deep field in GTE Pro, how many hours into the race do you think you will know exactly where you stand?

“It’s hard to say. You’ll find during the race your strength and weaknesses, along with those for the competition. The way it looks like the race will go with the weather, you will have to be faultless and run to plan. You cannot be distracted by what other teams are doing, especially if they are faster than you. It’s important to say dedicated to what the plan is and stick to that 100 percent. That will be very, very hard even in a dry race because of the competition. But if the weather keeps doing what it is doing, it will be a huge accomplishment to come out with a victory.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

How big a boost is it to come to Le Mans after winning in the ALMS at Laguna Seca?

“It was definitely a good thing to have that victory. Since I joined Corvette Racing, we had won the big races like Sebring and Le Mans. But the win at Laguna gave the team (in the No. 73 car) a big push ahead of Le Mans. We are very confident for the race. It will be a very big battle with all the manufacturers that are here. For sure they are all very well prepared but I think we have shown them before what it takes to win the race. We need to believe and trust in Corvette Racing to do it again.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

Is it a big difference coming to Le Mans in your second year instead of as a rookie?

“Last year was a big experience with a lot to learn. It’s such a unique event. I didn’t really know what to expect coming in. You get here on Monday and are here throughout the week with appearances, media events and autograph sessions… it is a roller coaster of emotions but you are here to drive a race car. Now this year I know what to expect and have such a great team and crew behind me. I’m very much looking forward to it.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

This is 12 years at Le Mans with Corvette Racing. How has the event and preparation changed?

“Certainly, year on year the competition has grown stiffer and stiffer. Again this year is another high watermark in our class with five big manufacturers slugging it out in our category. Corvette Racing has raised their game year after year, which is an impressive thing – whether it is in preparation and leading up to the event, preparing the car, laying out pits, practicing pit stops, the routines and schedule… the way the team studies itself and improve year on year is spectacular. It’s hugely impressive and something that gives the drivers a lot of confidence to see that they are on the top of their game. The C6.R is at the end of its life and is at the top of its development curve. We plan to get out there and take on whoever is the best. If it turns out to be us, then great. But we will be fighting to get a victory. Certainly you will have to earn it, without a doubt. There is just so much strength and depth.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

You were part of the winning trio in 2011 for Corvette Racing. What will it take to get back there this year?

“Every year, the biggest challenge is not making mistakes and staying out of the pits. Ultimately when you look back, the winning team has been the one that hasn’t made mistakes and hasn’t pitted except for driver changes, tires and fuel. This weekend it looks like the weather will play a role, which it typically does at Le Mans. We saw that at the Test Day and got in some wet-weather running. And the GTE Pro class is super, super deep with five strong manufacturers that can all win the race. This whole week has been about preparing in every way possible with little details that will help make any kind of repairs quicker. Our guys have looked at every little aspect that may cause issues for the race, and we’re prepared for anything that comes at us.”

RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

The last time you were in the car was a win at the Sebring 12 Hours. What did that do for the mindset of the team?

“To be honest, we needed that win at Sebring. Olly and Tommy had won the ALMS championship but we had had a poor run in the endurance events. It was important to turn that around. You don’t want to come to a race like Le Mans lacking in confidence. So Sebring did us a world of good. It is great to run with these two (Gavin and Milner). I know what they want from the car, and they know what I want from the car. We want to win this race in the last Le Mans for the C6.R.

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

What does this race mean to Chevrolet and Corvette Racing?

“First of all, bonjour! We are very pleased to be back. Those of you who have followed us here at the 24 Hours of Le Mans know that this program is representative of the cornerstone of everything we do in racing. Our objective throughout our year is all designed and focused on this event. We realize it is the single most important road race in the world. This is our 14th consecutive year with Corvette and we have been very fortunate to have seven victories – all of which we are most proud. This is a remarkable year because we have three anniversaries that we can celebrate. First and foremost is the 90th anniversary of this great race, and we’re happy to participate. The second is that this is the 60th anniversary of the production of Corvette, and currently we are approaching 2 million Corvettes that are registered and on the roads today. That’s an amazing number. And this will be our 100th race with one of our strategic partners – Michelin. Those three are of extreme importance to us, and we’re proud and pleased to be part of all those significant events.”

The next time Corvette Racing takes to the circuit at Le Mans is 7 p.m. CET/1 p.m. ET today for the final two sessions of qualifying. Corvette Racing will go for its eighth class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001 at 3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 22 with live coverage on SPEED.

Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• • Practice/qualifying: 4-8 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight, Wednesday
• • Qualifying: 7-9 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight, Thursday
• • Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday
• • Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday

Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• • SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday
• • SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday
• • Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday

Compuware Corvettes make progress in first qualifying session

LE MANS, France (June 19, 2013) – With an eye toward its eighth class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001, Corvette Racing continued to work toward the ideal race setups for the two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs on Wednesday. Both cars ran through a predetermined program on the opening day of track activity for the world’s greatest endurance event.

Antonio Garcia set the team’s fastest time in the No. 73 Compuware Corvette at 3:59.526, good enough for eighth on the provisional grid in GTE Pro. Oliver Gavin was next in the No. 74 Corvette at 3:59.860. But just as during the official Test Day on June 9, much of the focus remained on fine-tuning both cars for the race that begins Saturday.

The strength of the GTE Pro class was evident Wednesday with the top seven cars within 0.915 seconds with provisional pole position at 3:55.658. So there is room for improvement for Thursday’s two final qualifying sessions.

“I don’t think anyone is completely happy with the performance today,” said Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing Program Manager. “The good news is that we turned a significant number of laps compared to our competitors. But on the flip side, our competitors enjoyed an advantage on lap times and speeds. Fortunately we know what it takes to win Le Mans, and that is perseverance and endurance. That is the advantage of having won this race seven times before. Our guys will use that experience and feedback to improve the car for tomorrow’s final qualifying session.”

The Compuware Corvettes return to the track Thursday for a pair of two-hour sessions beginning at 7 p.m. CET/1 p.m. ET.

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We’ve been trying to get into our testing program, and we’re still a little bit away from the handling and the setup we thought we were going to have at this point. We made some setup changes from the test till now but they didn’t work the way we thought they would. So right now we’re trying to find a good baseline and the work from that. It seems we’re giving a lot of lap time away in Sector 2, which is the Mulsanne straight, maybe upwards of 1.5 to two seconds. So we still have a little bit of work to do. We also ran a little bit in the wet early on, but the conditions were changing rapidly all the time. I’d have an out-lap where there was spray and then the next lap it dried, so I didn’t get a real good feel for the wet lines.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It was my first time being the first one on track here in Le Mans. I had stories about going down the Mulsanne and you get all the dust and dirt from the road cars which have used the road right until a few hours before, so that was a cool experience getting those special feelings everyone has probably gotten for the past 90 years. For me it was also about getting used to the car again, coming straight from America where I had driven the Corvette Daytona Prototype (at Mid-Ohio the weekend prior), readjusting myself to the Corvette C6.R. I did a few longer runs, which meant I had to adapt to the constantly changing track conditions, wet-dry, wet-dry. We’re getting closer to the setup as we go on as I think the car wasn’t ideal for all three drivers to begin with, so we’re dialing it in right now and hope to have a good start to the week.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It looks like we’ll have some homework to do between now and tomorrow’s qualifying. The car feels good, but just isn’t fast enough at the moment. I’m confident that by tomorrow night the engineers will have come up with an answer.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“When you look at the outright lap time, we’re 3.5 to four seconds off and no one wants that. But we have won at this event when we’ve been off our fastest competitors. We have the best team in the pitlane to do this. We have the most reliable car. We have a great setup. And of course we have won this race many, many times. I have great faith in how we are going to go out and run the race. We have to keep a logical approach, keep our heads about us and work the problem to go through all the variables. We will come up with a solution and a plan for tomorrow.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Certainly, we know we have work to do. It’s not where we want to be. We’re off in every aspect. The car that we had at the test felt good – better than what we have now. We need to figure out how to get it to what we had there. What we had at the test was competitive, but our competitors have gone significantly faster and we’ve stayed the same. We have to explore every single detail about our cars and see if we are missing something. The race is Saturday, not tomorrow. So we still have time to work on it and our guys will do that.”

RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It seems like we’ve got a lot on our plate this year. The competition is extremely tough, and the times we are seeing now are quite unbelievable. We seem to be in a division below the other competitors at the moment and we need to get to the bottom of it, quickly. But we’ve got the right guys in the team to do that and pull all the stops out to bring that gap down. The good news is it’s a 24-hour race and normally the fastest car never wins. That said, all is not lost but we’ve definitely got some work to do.”

Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• • Qualifying: 7-9 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight, Thursday
• • Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday
• • Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday

Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• • SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday
• • SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday
• • Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday